


Risk

by bremma



Series: Maxima and WoL [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Doubt, F/M, Garleans (Final Fantasy XIV), Serious, Talking, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:42:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25761562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bremma/pseuds/bremma
Summary: “Ah, that’s good, I figured if you were truly busy, you’d have not responded.” Maxima paused a moment, then continued “Are you free this evening? I was hoping I could see you.”It was Wilfwyb's turn to pause, listening close to his voice, catching a tone of… uncertainty or concern in it.
Relationships: Maxima quo Priscus/Original Female Character(s), Maxima quo Priscus/Warrior of Light
Series: Maxima and WoL [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1828342
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Risk

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first go at not only a non-erotic piece, but focusing a bit more on my OC, or at least giving her a name and more of a presence. I have other non-erotic pieces planned that will probably be similar, so less possible self insert here. 
> 
> Setting: A few weeks after "As you Desire"

Wilfwyb’s quiet meditation was broken by the soft buzz of the linkpearl in her ear. Opening her eyes, she took in the view of the training area just on the outskirts of Ala Gannha, where she was working with Widargelt to train a new generation of Fist of Rhalgr monks. She had been taking a break while the aspiring monks worked the drills she had shown them, her eyes checking their form, taking in the few corrections she’d have to make when she rejoined them. For now though, the insistent buzz of the linkpearl had her attention.

She pressed her fingers lightly to her ear, activating the device. “Yes?” she said, expecting it to be Tataru or someone from one of the Grand Companies needing her assistance. 

A soft baritone filled her ear instead. “Good afternoon Wilfwyb, I hope I’m not interrupting much.”

She flushed, instantly recognizing the voice of Maxima. “Oh, no, not much at the moment. If anything, you picked a good time, I was simply taking a break.” She fought to keep a smile and blush from her face. Ever since their chance meeting and, lacking a better word for it, date a few weeks prior they’d seen a fair bit of each other. Their following meetings had been a mix of dinners, romantic encounters, and even a night or two simply enjoying each other’s presence as they read or worked on paper work together. 

She’d found herself treasuring her time with him more than she’d expected, shaking herself from her reverie as he replied. “Ah, that’s good, I figured if you were truly busy, you’d have not responded.” He paused a moment, then continued “Are you free this evening? I was hoping I could see you.”

It was her turn to pause, listening close to his voice, catching a tone of… uncertainty or concern in it. While they had been enjoying their time together, she had gotten a sense of growing distance from him the last few times. Nothing overt, but small things like hesitation to return her affection or odd pauses in conversation. It was enough that it had been lingering in the back of her mind, lower concern as they in equal measure had been initiating their meetings, but still something she’d intended to ask about. 

“Yes, I should be free around the 18th bell, I think.” 

“Ok, good.” One of those strange pauses hung in the air as she waited for his response. “I’ll see you then, I have some paperwork to get back to.” 

“Of course, I’ll see you later.” she said, removing her fingers from her ear, ending the connection. Her lips pursed into a concerned line. What was bothering him, she wondered. Were they spending too much time together? But if so, why continue to ask to meet? It’d been a few days since they last met, and she would have been content to wait a few more before asking to visit again. Between his heritage, and his lack of aether which prevented him from using the aetherytes, even if he was attuned, their meetings had exclusively been where he lived in the Ala Mhigan Quarter. 

She also wondered if they were moving too fast, but they hadn’t really done anything more than what their first night together entailed, physically or emotionally. She thought about it for a moment, then shook the thoughts from her head. Perhaps whatever it was would come to light later. She stepped away from the tree she had been leaning against, stretching quickly to limber up. No worth in worrying about it for now, she had other matters to attend to.

“Keep going through those forms!” she called to the trainees, their heads snapping in her direction as the tall Roegadyn woman moved towards them, a few of them faltering at the noise. “You lot are getting better but I see areas for improvement!” Striding forward confidently, she went to correct the nearest trainee.

* * *

Several hours later, she found herself outside the door of Maxima’s apartment. She’d washed up and changed from her monk’s clothes to a simple buttoned up top and a skirt, her hair, currently shoulder length and blue, was tied back loosely. She had eaten only a small amount of food before she came over. She’d intended on a whole meal, but when left alone with her thoughts they had returned to those of worry about her and Maxima, and muted what appetite she had. Her stomach still roiled slightly, though now it was hard to tell if the sensation was hunger or worry.

She tried to shake the worry from her mind and face, and knocked on the door. A moment later Maxima opened it, looking as he always did, hair tied back, glasses on and wearing a simple shirt and pants. He smiled warmly, inviting her in with a gesture.

She blushed and smiled, stepping in as he closed the door behind her, then turned to give him a hug, feeling a desire for physical contact. She saw the hesitation again, but he wrapped his arms around her and held her close for a moment. 

Breaking the embrace, she looked up at him, catching his gaze. “So, did you want to see me for a particular reason?” she asked, her mismatched eyes searching his violet ones for his thoughts.

He fidgeted, then let out a small bittersweet laugh. “I should have supposed I wasn’t fooling you.”

She gave a wan smile, letting her arms fall from him. “No, I was starting to wonder and would have asked before long anyhow. What’s the matter? Have I done anything wrong?”

“No, no!” he said, eyes wide and waving his hands. He then sighed and ran a hand over his hair. “No, this is on me, not you. And was something I planned to broach eventually. Can we sit at least? This might take a bit.” 

She nodded and followed him to the couch, a new piece he had gotten after a few of her visits, giving them a place to relax that didn’t afford the same distractions of sharing the bed. Sitting, they faced each other, a bit more space between then than normal.

“So…” she said, letting the word hang. The tension in the room was thick, causing her chest to feel tight. 

He let out a sigh, then met her gaze. “So. Well, I guess we haven’t talked much about our pasts. I guess I know a bit about yours, due to your, well, notoriety.” 

She gave a chuckle and nodded. “Some tales are a bit exaggerated, but generally it’s not far off the mark. I’d be curious to hear what you’ve heard about me.”

He returned the smile “Perhaps later, but back to my point. I’ve not talked much about my past, and I wager you only know a little bit.”

“Yes, I recall you and the other Garleans with you were part of some faction working to help the common folk of Garlemald.”

“The Populares, yes. What is left of us anyhow…” he said, staring off into the distance, a mournful look on his face. “What you don’t know about is what happened when I aligned with them.” 

Shifting a bit on the couch, she nodded for him to continue, still trying to figure out how this tied into his recent disquiet. 

“As I’m sure you can figure out yourself, such a faction has no love lost with the imperials of Garlemald, the Opimates. They’re the faction that only truly cares for the pure blooded and imperial Garleans. They’re wise enough to not attack the Populares directly, since it would look bad for them.” She could see him tense as he talked, some sort of emotion weighing heavy on him, his shoulders bunching and face taking on a stony look.

Concerned, she reached over, placing a hand on his, trying to provide some comfort, it readily apparent whatever he was trying to tell her bothered him deeply. She was worried he would pull his hand away, but he let her hand stay. She watched his face as he continued.

“I chose to join their ranks when I saw how poorly the masses of the empire were treated. Some of the things that were done was... positively horrible.”

Recalling her Echo from Fordola, and some of the things she had seen done to the Domans and Ala Mhigans, she understood what sorts of behavior he was referencing. Conscription, almost more accurate to call it slavery, menacing of the villages, and worse to those who were not truly of Garlemald.

“I wanted to make a difference, make life in Garlemald better for all. I had the drive, the desire, and the rest of the Populares saw it. I quickly made my way up the ranks. I had been making some good progress. It was hard fought but we were gaining ground. But I wager they were not the only ones to notice.” She felt his hand move beneath hers, balling into a fist, but not pulling from her touch. “ One day I got word that my parents were dead… they died under mysterious circumstances.” Tears brimmed behind his glasses and his lips pursed as he seemed to be trying to hold back the tide of his emotions. “No one could tell how they passed. As far as all could tell it was an unfortunate accident… but the timing…”

“Oh Gods, Maxima…” she gasped, gently gripping his balled fist sympathetically. He stayed silent for a moment, features pinched as he rode out the emotion, eventually bringing his free hand to his face, quickly removing the tears before they fell from his eyes, and letting out a sigh. 

“Since then, I disavowed myself from such connections. I… didn’t have any family left, so the past was not an issue. But I couldn’t stand the thought of losing someone I cared deeply for, not again.” He let out a shaky breath and turned his face back to look at her, eyes reddened from the tears. “T-that’s why… that’s why I’ve been getting distant.”

Her stomach lured at the words. She had no idea about any of this. But then again, how could she? It’s not like he was of any especial tactical note until his contingent crashed with Alphinaud in The Burn. And even then, this isn’t the sort of thing in a tactical report. Still, the realization that this might be the end of them, of whatever this was now, stabbed her heart with worry. She tried to keep the expression of her face, but his reaction as he watched her proved she had done a poor job.

“Ah, no, I mean.” he stammered, eye widening and closing his mouth with a snap as he considered his next words. “I don’t mean that I didn’t, or don’t, enjoy our time together. In fact, that’s the issue. I… I don’t know what I want anymore. There’s a lot on my mind.” He looked straight into her eyes, his expression a mix of worry and warmth. “I want to stick to my resolution, to not have to worry about such loss again. But… I’ve fallen for you more than I expected, or planned.”

She flushed at his admission, but still felt her gut twist in uncertainty. Would… could this work out? She understood his concern, but wasn’t sure how to process it. Her thoughts fell away as he spoke again.

“I suppose, being out of Garlemald, my association with the Populares is less of a risk to anyone I care about, both in terms of the association and, well, living in Garlemald. But there’s still a concern of being a Garlean in these lands. While everyone I have met here has been nice, I have been cautious.”

She gave a sympathetic nod. “I won’t lie, there’s not really any love lost for Garleans in Eorzea, though if you would have issues anywhere I’d suspect it’d be here, all things considered.”

“I suppose my colleagues and I have General Aldwynn to thank for that. He’d said he put in a good word about us, though I wonder how much was a good word and how much was a not so thinly veiled threat....”

She laughed. “Raubahn was never one for subtlety, but I assume he explained at the least that you and your group were no longer affiliated with Garlemald.”

“Regardless.” he said, smiling at her laugh. “I didn’t really interact with many outside of my Garlean comrades when I got here. I’d slowly been working on branching out before you arrived. It was going well. I occasionally noticed the surprised glance but people seemed sympathetic and kind. I still worry a bit about retaliation.” He looked up at her face, thinking for a moment. “Though I suppose people retaliating against you for my heritage would be less of a concern. Or at least make them think twice before doing anything too brash”

“Being the savior of Eorzea has its perks, I suppose.” she said with a small smile. She’d noticed they had caught more than their fair share of gazes around the Ala Mhigan quarter on the occasions they went out. She couldn’t be sure what amount of the staring was just her notoriety, or because she was seen being close with a Garlean.

She further paused in though, her smile fading to a small line. “Though it does bring up a similar concern of my own. Not one I ever gave serious thought because, well, I hadn’t planned on something like this.” She squeezed his hand lightly, accentuating her point.

He gave her a confused look for a moment, then his eyes took on a concerned expression. “You mean, your adventuring, and the risks therein.”

She nodded slowly, sighing. “It’s not uncommon for my life to be in peril as the Warrior of Light, and I guess also the Warrior of Darkness, for as long as I am of use to the First. I guess I hadn’t thought about it before because I’d not want to expose a partner to dealing with that sort of concern… or really had anyone to worry about.”

The both sat quietly for a time, digesting that point of information. He probably didn’t know the half of the perils she had been in, whereas she could easily lose count of the times she had nearly perished.

“Still.” she said eventually, breaking the silence. “I do like you… more than I expected. I feel happy and… at peace when I’m with you, and, it might be greedy, but I don’t want to let you go.”

She tried to read his expression but his face was impassive as he thought. He was silent for another moment. “I… feel the same. I certainly didn’t expect to fall for anyone here, let alone the Warrior of Light.” He smiled briefly, but then looked sad. “Still, I’m worried.”

“Yeah… I guess we just need to decide if the risk is worth it…” She met his eyes once more. They looked at each other for a time, each thinking their own thoughts, seemingly waiting for the other to speak first. 

She thought about their conversation. What was she willing to do? Would staying with him put her, or him, at risk? Did she want to let him go to avoid possible pain later? She closed her eyes to think deeper, shutting off her sight of him for a moment. She liked him, she could feel it in her chest and her gut. Hearing his voice over the link pearl when they called each other made her heart skip, the feel of his lips on hers, his calming presence as they simply relaxed near each other.

She opened her eyes again, her decision made, ready to speak. Her words stopped short as he broke the silence first. “I think…” She could feel her gut flip, waiting for him to finish his words as he paused. “... I want to take the risk.” As he spoke he moved his hand from under hers to rest on top, giving it a firm squeeze. “I fear it will hurt as much to let you go now than later. Perhaps not as badly, but… I care for you. And I want you in my life.”

She felt her heart race and soar, then smiled warmly at him. “You took the words out of my mouth.” She turned her hand so their palms met, squeezing his hand firmly in return.

As if reading each other's minds, they shifted closer and leaned in to each other, wrapping their arms around one another and embracing firmly for a few quiet minutes. While not all of the concerns she had were gone, the bulk of the worry in her mind and gut faded as she relaxed in his arms, taking in his warmth, his scent, just his presence. She didn’t expect this to be simple, but they had taken the first step, to take the risk, for better or for worse.

Without provocation, her stomach let out a loud rumble, breaking the blissful silence. She leaned back, face flushed deeply, her hands reaching up to cover her face. “Oh gods, I am sorry…”

He let out a playful laugh, reaching up and drawing her hands from her face before leaning in and planting a fond kiss to her forehead. “Hungry?” His eyes pinched up as he smiled happily at her, the concern that she had seen on his face finally gone.

“Yeah…” she said, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. “I wasn’t able to eat much before I made my way here. Nerves and all of that”

“Let’s fix that then.” He rose, her hands still in his gently pulling her up with him, pressing his lips to hers as they stood. “I found a new restaurant the other day I had been meaning to take you to.”

“That sounds wonderful. Let's go then.” She kissed him back warmly. Hand in hand, they stepped out of his apartment, the door shutting quietly behind them.

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully you enjoyed this writing. I wasn't very aware of Maxima's vow until after I was mostly through writing "As You Desire" and I felt like I would be remiss to not explore it before writing more about them. More is coming soon, both erotic and not! Please look forward to it!
> 
> \----  
> Do you like FFXIV fanfic and want a supportive community to learn more about it and explore new fic and ideas? Come check out the [Emet-Selch’s Wholesomely Debauched Bookclub](https://discord.gg/3Vt9ZXpCAP) and come say hi!


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